A self-described 'light-skinned Black Jew,' Celeste Headlee has been forced to speak about race—including having to defend or define her own—since childhood. In her career as a journalist for public media, she's made it a priority to talk about race proactively. She's discovered, however, that those exchanges have rarely been productive. While many people say they want to talk about race, the reality is, they want to talk about race with people who agree with them. A guide to having productive conversations about race.
This is a method of accountability that might not change a person’s beliefs but could open the door to deeper understanding. Throughout the book, she presents examples of conversation pieces, open-ended questions, and possible outcomes ... Headlee has created an informative, enjoyable book that functions as part-memoir, part-guidebook to having conversations about racism. A must-read for everyone.
Edifying ... Headlee provides expert guidance on asking good, open-ended questions as well as appealing to critical thinking processes to combat prejudices ... Written for those who are tired of arguing, debating, and still getting nowhere on the issue of race, Headlee’s personal-yet-proficient approach to potentially heated parlays is sure to inspire constructive, and perhaps life-changing, conversations.
Cogent ... Offer[s] practical suggestions for thinking about, and talking about, racism ... A thoughtful, enlightening guide that joins a host of others addressing persistent racism.
